History

Philadelphia is in our blood and food is in our DNA

Food has always been in the DNA of the Klayman family. It all began over 60 years ago in a small warehouse on West Moreland Street in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, when a young entrepreneur named Albert Klayman (Grandfather of Benjamin Foods’ founder, Howard Klayman) established Almarco Pizza Company, a food distributor with a focus on the pizza segment of the industry.

Al believed that food was an integral part of the culture of every ethnic family living in cities like Philadelphia. Every neighborhood had their favorite eateries that reflected the culture of the neighborhoods. Al always admired how these local landmarks maintained a family atmosphere in their restaurants while serving their customers quality food in a timely fashion.

It was important to Al that the ingredients served in restaurants were as good as the ones that were used in people’s home kitchens. He thought if he could deliver those premium ingredients to pizza shops and restaurants, they would become lifelong customers.

Al’s philosophy endeared him to his customers and Almarco Pizza Company eventually exploded in popularity, growing to serve customers from as far away as Virginia and New York–all while still maintaining the same exemplary level of customer service the local customers in his hometown of Philadelphia had come to expect from Almarco.

In addition to legendary attention-to-detail, much of Al’s success has been attributed to his ability to be a man of the people, putting himself in the shoes of the restaurant customer and the restaurant owner simultaneously. He was a soft-spoken man who went to extraordinary lengths not to disappoint his customers. His actions truly spoke louder than his words. Al never forgot where he came from, never turning his back on family, friends, and business associates when they were in need. He was active in many local charities.

Al continued to work in the food business well into his 80s, when he passed away in 2007. Howard’s father, Larry, followed in his father’s footsteps, continuing in the food business.

Al’s grandson, Howard Klayman, founded Benjamin Foods in 2007 after working for other food companies for 15 years. True to his nature as a visionary, Howard knew he could employ those years of experience to create a successful food distribution company of his own. Today, Benjamin Foods occupies more than 200,000 square feet of temperature-controlled warehouse space throughout four distribution centers and employs over 150 people. Howard always believed that Benjamin Foods would be fitting a tribute to his grandfather’s legacy. Like his grandfather, Howard named Benjamin Foods for his first son, Benjamin.

Benjamin Foods continues to grow exponentially, becoming a leading broad line food distributor serving the needs of both public and private food service customers in the Northeast and beyond.

It’s what our clients think that matters!

“I just want to take the opportunity to thank you for the service you have been providing to the County Prison. You made a few comments to me a while back in regards to the way my operation is run and I appreciated that. For my side of things, I need to go through each line of every invoice and make sure I receive and am being charged for each item correctly. This is time consuming, but I have found it is worth the effort. My staff and I have been very impressed with your company’s performance. The invoices are correct. The goods are delivered promptly and in a clean truck. You would be horrified at the condition and odor of some of our delivery vehicles. So, thanks a lot for doing a good job and making ours a little easier. We really appreciate it. I hope your company can maintain these high standards as you grow, which I’m sure you will.”

Correctional Customer – Pennsylvania

“I have been purchasing for Benjamin Foods for over 4 years. They have always provided professional service. They deliver in a prompt time frame. They offer a wide variety of correctional products, at a fair price. Their in-house customer service has been outstanding. I would highly recommend Benjamin Foods.”

Correctional Customer – Texas

“The staff at Benjamin Foods have been nothing but AWESOME to work with on the start-up of our new venture here at O’Donnell’s Irish Pub. They were there for us every step of the way. Their prices were compared against several large vendors and they won the bids hands down for all of our purchases. This included a full overhaul of the entire 25 foot cooking line for the kitchen to equip two new bars. All products were delivered on time and as specified. They were also was very knowledgeable on the design and purchase specifications for our new walk in refrigerator to support the 48 draft beer spigots that we menu. Additionally, we also use them for our small wares and paper products at this location and I have used them for many years at other locations. Thanks again!!!”

Raymond K. Lind,O’Donnell’s Irish Pub Philadelphia PA

“The staff at Benjamin Foods was instrumental in getting my second location up and running. Their knowledge and experience helped guide me in my floor plan, design, equipment purchases, and virtually everything restaurant related that I could possibly need. Their prices are competitive and their expertise helped me achieve my goal of opening in a timely fashion.”

Restaurant Owner, Richboro, PA

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